What Lurks Beyond
by Zeroofthedragons
Summary: After witnessing her father's death, the Princess is taken away to become a slave. She has no idea where she is until she arrives in Egypt. Can Kaiba and her former Master, Marik, help her find her past? And will she ever meet up with Joey again?
1. the past

"Father, why is Rosy sad?"  
  
"What makes you say she's sad?" The girl's father asked.  
  
She sighed, thinking of how she should answer. "Well, her gait isn't as lively. Her ears are pointing out, like this." The young girl put her hands to the side of her head, pointing outward and drooping, in imitation.  
  
Her father laughed. "She's ok, just relaxed."  
  
His daughter wasn't satisfied, yet all she did was shrug it off. She patted the sunset-colored horse standing next to her, just inside a wide pasture. She turned to her father, met his eyes, and decided that she was just being over-protective of the horse she'd known all her life-and her unborn foal.  
  
When it got late enough, they got a lead rope from the rail and led the horse out of the grassy pasture. During the walk home, the girl insisted upon staying with the mare, who had become very jumpy once out of the rolling field, until she calmed down. But the horse never did. At midnight, her father had to come to the stable and manually drag her back up to the Palace.  
  
She had a troubled look on her face as her father tucked her in, but he seemed not to notice.  
  
"There is something wrong with Rosy!" she stated, close to yelling in her frustration.  
  
"Shh, it's ok. Your horse is fine. Go to sleep, now."  
  
She dropped into a fitful sleep. Her father, on the bed across the room, didn't wake to her mumblings.  
  
She sat up, now fully awake. "Father!" she hissed, getting up and putting a robe on. It hadn't even been five hours since she had last been out.  
  
He woke almost instantly. "What is it-get back in bed! Where do you think you are going?"  
  
"It's Rosy! I know it is!" She was running now, down five steps at a time. She ran down two flights of stairs. She slid down the railing of the third, landing softly and not breaking her stride. She ran to the barn, flinging open the door. Lights were on in every room of the Palace, now. Even the slaves had awakened.  
  
She froze at the sight before her.  
  
Rosy lay, dead, in the straw of her stall.  
  
A gray bundle lay next to her, making soft, muffled sounds.  
  
"Father!" She cried. He dropped to her knees, tears over-taking her small body. She hugged the foal, vowing never to let it out of her sight.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
It was two weeks later. The girl kneeled beside her father's mat in the Healer's room. She prayed to Ra, the only symbol of high power she knew of.  
  
'Oh, Please! You took Mother long ago. You took Rosy this night two weeks past. Please leave Father; he's all I have left! I can't rule by myself! I don't know how!'  
  
Tears rolled down her cheeks, flowing freely. He father did not stir. She felt an unbearable ache in her heart and knew it was too late. Not even Stormy, who stood just behind her, could comfort her now. She hoped against hope that-somehow-her father would rise again.  
  
He wouldn't.  
  
And she knew that.  
  
Someone stepped from the shadows of the Healer's tent and placed a rope around Stormy's neck. A hand covered the girl's mouth as she was pulled away.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Father!" Clair wailed into the night. She shook her head. Not just another nightmare, her real past this time.  
  
"What's up, 17?" A boy, about her age, with long, blonde bangs in the way of his soft brown eyes asked from the cot next to the one Clair was lying on.  
  
She hated it when he used her number. They'd grown up together. She didn't see any reason in using numbers for names, unless Master was around. He probably figured Master was listening in on them right now. Numbers kept her name-at least, what she called herself- secret from her Master.  
  
She hated the fact she was now a slave instead of a Princess of somewhere. She didn't remember where she was from, but she didn't really are. It didn't matter.  
  
"Nothin'. Same old nightmares." 'One that happened 10 years ago!' she almost added, bitterly.  
  
Stormy, the colt that survived, whinnied from outside. Clair was reminded of how surprised she was that her Masters had allowed her to keep the high- strung horse.  
  
She relaxed when she heard 15's-Joey-regular breathing once again, telling her he'd gone back to sleep.  
  
'Sales tomorrow,' she reminded herself. 'Got to get rest.so I can get.new, better Master.' She was asleep.  
  
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	2. Sold!

Disclaimer: don't own any part of Yu-gi-oh. Wish I did, though!  
  
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"Get up, you piece of trash!"  
  
Clair got up, even though she was aware it wasn't her being spoken to. It was Joey.  
  
"I'm up, I'm up!" He hurriedly rubbed the sleep from his eyes.  
  
Master had the whip. "That is not how you talk to me!" He bellowed, laying the whip across Joey's bare chest. It left a red mark, nothing more. Their skin was hardened by this kind of treatment.  
  
Joey was up in a flash, bowing on the ground at Master's feet. "Yes, Master. Sorry, Master!"  
  
Clair felt sorry for her friend. He never seemed to be on Master's good side. She, on the other hand, was treated, if only slightly, less harshly. She still got the whip, but not half as hard.  
  
'It's only my body they're after!' she reminded herself. She was thin, just the right skin tone, muscle size, chest size.  
  
"Up, rise and shine, Maggots!" Master woke the other sixteen- and fifteen-year-olds. "Sales in three hours!"  
  
Groaning from dread, Clair kneeled beside her cot, where she had the most privacy, and off her baggy T-shirt. She replaced it with a skin-tight piece of cloth that hardly covered enough of her chest for comfort. She replaced her skin-tight pants with a five-inch skirt made from the same material. Both new garments were especially stretchy so they'd fit any size. (I know this probably isn't what they'd wear, but she's not in Egypt yet, and this takes place in my own day and age *nods*)  
  
She stood, and immediately was thankful for her amount of clothing. It was more than the boys got. The slaves got to somewhat clean themselves, so they'd be worth more. They got very little to eat, but didn't have to do much work.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Three hours later...  
"15 from Tent 7!" the auctioneer called. The sales were already well underway.  
  
Joey slowly climbed the few steps to the stage, stepping into the view of hundreds of people. Clair flashed him the thumbs-up sign and he seemed to relax a bit.  
  
"Hm... may need to trim this ones hair a little..." he said, fingering Joeys blonde bangs. "But," he continued, "What he lacks in looks, he makes up in skill. Give'em a piece of food or show'em the whip, and he'll work sunup to sundown!" The man took a breath. "Who will take on this'n?"  
  
Joey was soon sold, although for less than the mater had wanted. 16 went up and sold for less than Joey, but he was thinner and didn't have as much muscle or skill. Master still looked ready to kill.  
  
"17, up!"  
  
Clair made her way forward and stood against the slate of wood in front of the crowd. The auctioneer pointed out the finer points of her body as the slave ignored him and watched a herd of horses just past the crowd. It had been a long time since the slaves of Tent 7 were conscious about their bodies. Of all the horses in from the range, gathered around the circle of bidders, one stallion stood out from the rest. He had a coal- black coat that stood out like a black gem in white sand. Stormy.  
  
She was sold and, from the look on Masters face, for a lot more than he'd dared hope.  
  
The man that walked up to claim her had tan skin and light hair. His eyes were different from any man's Clair had met before; deep purple, hard yet not cold. His neck was covered in what looked like a gold choker. He carried a rod with a golden eye settled on top.  
  
She went with him even as he bound her hands with a thick rope. She knew it was useless to fight an owner, any owner. And he seemed interesting in a dark, dangerous way.  
  
He didn't stay for the rest of the slave sale, which was odd since most buyers stayed for more. When Clair asked bout this, he said he'd gotten what he'd come for and added, "It would be wise for you to remain silent. At least till you are spoken to."  
  
"Yes, Sir."  
  
He turned to her. "Call me Master, or even Malik, just not 'Sir.'" She nodded and kept silent.  
  
They walked to the group of horses. "Which one is yours?" But the black stallion answered for her by trotting up and nuzzling her. "This one?"  
  
"Yes, Master. This is Stormy."  
  
He nodded, looking the young black horse over. Then he mounted his own, a dark bay, and walked off.  
  
Stormy knelt, allowing Clair to climb on since her hands were still tied. Malik looked back, and his expression told her he'd expected her to walk. He didn't say so as she caught up.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~End  
  
Please review! *nods* you'd better, or else I shall be forced to sick Stormy on you!!! Believe me, you don't want that! Seriously, though. I can find you, I know what EVERYONE did last summer!!! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH  
  
Ok, that wasn't 'serious' but you get the picture. REVIEW! 


	3. The Job

Zero: I know...I know. I haven't updated in a while...well, here goes the next chappie! Please review! ^^  
  
DISCLAIMER: Don't own...know who does? Drop me a line  
  
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Looking up at the ceiling, Clair only saw stone. The walls were stone; the floor was stone. She longed for the sky, pale blue or dusty gray, sun or no sun.  
  
She'd been in this huge...building for about two days now, never once coming upon a door that led anywhere but to another empty corridor or a tomb of some sort. There were no windows. Although it really wasn't that big over the ground, it went deep, deep under the ground. More than two stories that stretched out.  
  
Her master, Marik, had been easy on her so far. She had been asked to rest and she had only cooked the meals the first day. On this second day, she'd done nothing much more than sit in her room. There was more to come, she was sure of it. It was only a few hours into the day, but already the other slaves were working. She had been called to prepare breakfast before the sun was up, and she had been led to Marik's sleeping quarters to tidy up. Now, in her room without her roommate, Kaylie, the guard of the scrolls or books of this place, Clair was suddenly gripped with a longing. She longed for the olden days, the times she'd spent carefree and happy, though still slave bound. The days where she had friends.  
  
She couldn't really count Kaylie as a friend. The only reason the older girl tolerated her was because it was Marik's wish. It was a relief that she wouldn't be back until sundown. Then there was the sound of the door opening.  
  
"Master would like a word with you. Quickly, now! Mustn't keep him waiting."  
  
It was Kaylie, her stern voice as ordering, yet as calm, as ever. Clair had no clue what this was about, and the doubt showed on her face.  
  
"I said quickly!" Kaylie snapped. "He's been waiting for you!"  
  
Clair nodded and allowed Kaylie to lead her out of the room they shared. They walked through a maze of passages, so complex that Clair couldn't keep them straight, and soon arrived at a room filled with many books with ancient writing on them. Some were opened, but most were closed and stacked. As she looked about, Clair didn't notice Kaylie leave.  
  
Marik was sitting at a round table, books spread out in front of him. He didn't look up, but his body language told her that Marik was indeed aware of her presence. He appeared to be reading some sort of note or letter, which he held over the book.  
  
When he spoke, he stated, "Seto Kaiba has requested a slave for his pleasure."  
  
Clair blinked. Who was this Seto person? A pleasure slave? She backed up a step.  
  
"He is in Egypt, the assistant to the Pharaoh Yami. Would you like to go to Egypt, girl?" Marik continued.  
  
Clair caught on. She would be in the royal Palace! "Sure!" she replied excitedly, before catching herself. She stooped and bowed her head to Marik's back. "Sorry, please forgive my rudeness. Yes, Master. I would like to."  
  
Marik nodded. He hadn't been giving her a real choice in the matter. He was to train her to attend to Kaiba's every need and send her off to Egypt. "Very well. We'll leave as soon as your training is complete."  
  
"Training?" Clair paused, then added, "Master, if I may ask a question, what kind of training would I need?"  
  
Marik hesitated, considering. "There'll be only so much I can teach you, understood. The rest you will receive in further training from Kaiba himself or one of his slaves. But I will tell you this. Whatever he wishes, give it to him."  
  
Clair bent in a half bow; Marik had turned in his chair to look at her. "Yes Master."  
  
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"First off, if Seto Kaiba has any feelings he needs to get out, which isn't very often or large in amount, you'll have to be there to take it. If he needs to punch something, you're his punching bag. If he needs to screw something, you're his plaything. In times of anger, joy, sexuality- anything, you have to be there to take it. Not to mention that you, along with a selected few, will have to learn certain tricks or whatever to perform at parties."  
  
Clair nodded. This was what she'd been afraid of. She was still a virgin, and she didn't like the sound of this guy. "Master, a question?" At Marik's nod, she added, "You have trained slaves before, then?"  
  
"Yes, as a matter of fact I have. But only a few were of any use. People are to weak these days." There was a slight tone to his voice that Clair didn't like, one that she hadn't noticed before. It sounded mean and brutal, unlike the voice she'd grown used to.  
  
After telling her the time she should start dinner that night, Marik sent Clair back to her room. She wouldn't start her training until later that week. But, nonetheless, Clair didn't go to her room. She turned away from the stairs that would lead her up to her stone room, the slaves' quarters, and walked down a narrow hallway. At the end, she saw one single line of light. It was in a rectangle shape, and she faintly remembered the outline from somewhere. As she walked closer, she suddenly remembered it was a door that led to the outside world! It had only been two days since she'd been sentenced to this place, but she had never really had much experience with doors. It was mostly wide-open doorways or tent flaps.  
  
Clair hulled on the large handle, but it didn't move more than an inch. This must have been why she hadn't found any doors; they were all so tightly closed, so heavy and thick, that she'd thought they were actually part of the walls themselves! She tugged again and the door opened. Sunlight! She felt she could whoop for joy.  
  
Stepping lightly onto the sandy, unpaved road, she let the rays warm her body. The sand was warm beneath her feet, but she didn't know what country or anything that she was in. After a moment's thought, she dismissed it.  
  
It was harder to blend in with the small crowd in the even smaller town. It seemed that no slaves were allowed out or, at lease not at this time of day. The sun was just starting to edge down across the sky.  
  
Clad in what Marik had given her as clothes- a thin, tight strap around her upper body, and a sash that hung lower in the middle part front and back, but showed both her thighs- she was out of place. The others had dresses or cloaks of green, red or blue and many, many gold chains. She heard money clang and the voices of numerous men and women talking and arguing as she walked through the throng. There were a few that appeared to be drunk, the way they were staggering about or swinging loose punches at a neighbor.  
  
Just as she began to get into the swing of things, a hand touched her shoulder. She jumped and whirled around. It was Marik.  
  
"There's not much to see here. Wait for Egypt." He smirked and led her from the starring crowd.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Lucky you didn't get yourself whipped silly, kid," Kaylie told Clair later, after dinner and as they were getting ready for bed. "Sharon went off into the marketplace once. Master found her there. She got taken home and whipped good. Never seen more hopeless eyes...."  
  
Sharon, Clair guessed, was one of the older slaves. She nodded, showing she had heard what had been said although she highly doubted Kaylie cared one way or another. She seemed quite annoyed that Clair had escaped a good whipping. Clair laid her head back down on the cot and closed her eyes. It was just as she was drifting off to sleep that Kaylie added, "He must be quite fond of you, Clair, to not have beat the crap outta you AND to be taking you to Egypt."  
  
Clair drifted off to sleep and dreamed of Joey. He was with a group of girls, sitting in a hot tub. Clair was among them, chatting idly. There were no worries, no fears.  
  
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Zero: what'd ya'll think??? More coming! ^^  
  
REVIEW! Please 


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